“‘It’s a tough time to be a Republican in Connecticut’ Stewart said.”—-Hartford Courant reporter Neil Vigdor.

That’s music to OUR ears! Let’s keep the volume cranked up!

(Go ahead and Cheer Out Loud!)

Official results from the Secretary of the State’s office as of 2 pm. Norm Needleman wins the 33rd senate district and Christine Palm wins the 36th house district.
Congratulations to all who ran.
Haddam TURNOUT
Total registered: 6,142
Voted: 4,371
Turnout: 71%

Know where to Vote on November 6th? Just follow this link and fill in the blanks! It’ll tell you where to go!

Do you know Your Democratic Candidates who want to serve Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck at the Senate, Congressional, and State levels? Get out and vote for them on Nov. 6th, 2018!

Haddam Dems at Youth and Family Services annual Pumpkin Run provided candidate information, and a chance for people to meet candidates. Here is Christine Palm for State Representative. Norm Needleman also came by.

The Haddam Democratic Town Committee recommended Sean Moriarty to the Board of Selectmen on Oct. 22, 2018 to fill the full Board of Finance seat recently vacated by Christopher Alexy, who recently resigned. The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to accept Sean for the remainder of the term which ends November of 2019. See more at Sean Moriarty for Haddam.

NEXT NORM DEBATE:Thursday, Oct. 25 at Old Saybrook High School, 1111 Boston Post Road. The Day‘s 33rd district debate between Norm Needleman for State Senate and Melissa Ziobron. Hope you can make it!

The hour-long debates begin at 7 p.m. and will be live-streamed on www.theday.com.
The Day and the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut are sponsoring the debates with help from the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut.

See the Debate between our well-informed, qualified and highly-endorsed Democratic candidate Christine Palm and incumbent Bob Seigrist (R) on Oct. 17th, at Valley Regional High School. (Unedited footage so start viewing at 10:12 to where debate begins)

Instead of our regular Oct. Haddam Democratic Town Committee meeting, we will meet Wednesday, October 17 at Valley Regional High School in Deep River at 6:30 for Candidate Christine Palm’s Debate! All of the community are welcome!

The first debate will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. It will feature incumbent 36th District State Representative Bob Siegrist (R) and challenger Christine Palm (D) who will square off beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Valley Regional High School in Deep River.

Democrat Norm Needleman and Republican Melissa Ziobron, candidates for the open 36th State Senate seat, will debate at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 also at Valley Regional High School. Conroy and Piezzo will once again serve as moderators.

District residents are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates in writing by mailing or dropping them off at either the Essex Library (33 West Ave, Essex, CT, 06426) or Brainerd Library (920 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT 06438) or by sending them via email to rconroy@essexlib.org or tpiezzo@brainerdlibrary.org. In order to be considered for inclusion questions must be relevant to issues facing our state, particularly at the district level, and not constructed in such a way as to favor a particular candidate.

Highlights from the Chilliest! About 35 people met Norm Needleman for State Senate, and Christine Palm for Representative (see more about the candidates here). We learned highlights of their campaigns and encouraged each other to keep going! There were 10 different kinds of chili to sample and vote for the favorite with real beans! Tanja Moriarty won the most votes with her beef chili!

Do you know Your Democratic Candidates who want to serve Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck at the Senate, Congressional, and State levels? Get out and vote for them on Nov. 6th, 2018!

Come Meet Candidates & Sample and Vote for the Best Chili in Haddam on Oct. 14th!

Planning Oktoberfest fundraiser and a friendraiser for Norm Needleman and Christine Palm. Norm (middle) for State SenateChristine Palm, (left) for State Representative

Joint Democratic Town Committee Meeting Sept. 11th

Democratic Town Committees from Haddam, Chester, Deep River, and Essex are continuing to meet, having joined forces this earlier this year as Joint Democratic Town Committee meetings. The next one takes place at the Chester Meeting House, Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty Street, Chester on Tuesday, Sept. 11th at 7 p.m. Come experience the strength in numbers as we share ideas and make plans.

Members of the Haddam Democratic Town Committee at Haddam Neck Fair and Haddam River Days This Fall!

For about a year, two members of the Haddam -Killingworth Board of Education began taking a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance in school meetings. Maura Wallin, a Haddam Republican, admits she is no fan of President Trump, said she takes a knee in protest of our criminal justice system. She believes it singles out minorities. Eric Couture of Killingworth kneels because he feels “..we are not living living up to what we say we stand for, and we should call attention to that.”(see Middletown Press link)

They kneel. That is their constitutional right! No one in Haddam or Killingworth, nor anyone with any political affiliation has ever said one word about it—for over a year!

The meeting continued after the Pledge as usual for about 35 minutes, then adjourned. That seemed to be that. But later, the video of her kneeling was handed over to the mass-media by people who wanted to agitate and to promote the unprecedented division in our town, state and nation.

It wasn’t us.

A firestorm of controversy spread globally. Though well within her Constitutional rights, Melissa Schlag in her silent protest, has endured a backlash of hatred and unbeliebable name-calling and threats. First Selectman Lizz Milardo called Melissa’s refusal to stand during the Pledge a “selfish act of attention.” (see Middletown Press link) Melissa was even hassled by Republican Art Linares on this video clip who said she should resign! (Linares is currently hot on his campaign trail, facing a primary soon as he runs for Treasurer.)

Fortunately, Melissa has received some powerful validation and support from reasonable people who understand our sacred freedoms. We must not lose them to warped or uninformed “lock-step” regimes or bullies. We must protect our rights and those who take the heat for exercising our American freedoms.

The links below follow some of news stories and articles of the past few weeks. A non-violent vigil, Support The First, has been organized to take place at 5 p.m. before the next Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, July 30th at the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company. Please attend.

Melissa’s “Dear America” Letter

Four days later after the Board of Selectmen meeting, Melissa Schlag issued a letter, “Dear America” that circulated on social media and was picked up by television stations.

July 20, 2018
Dear America,
Before I was old enough to walk, I attended Memorial Day parades and Veteran’s Day ceremonies with my parents and my little sister (my father is an Air Force veteran); a few years later I marched as a Girl Scout for nearly two decades; I wrote essays on what patriotism means to me; and I marched with my high school band and learned to play every patriotic song by heart on my clarinet.
I have devoted every day to my fellow citizen, whether it was helping someone less fortunate, donating my time and skills, or attending nearly every town meeting for over a decade and filming them to hold local government accountable and to keep fellow citizens informed. I proudly ran for state senator in the 33rd district, speaking to over 8,000 people in person across twelve towns. I proudly ran for first selectman in 2013 and was honored to serve the citizens of Haddam for two years with honesty and integrity. I’ve dedicated my time on other boards throughout the years and now serve as selectman. I consider myself a Haddam patriot as well as an American patriot.
I have the utmost respect for our service members, and I have also served my country in many ways; I believe serving your country and being a patriot does not automatically mean carrying a gun overseas. Patriotism comes in many forms.
On Monday, July 16, 2018, for the first time in my life, I knelt for the pledge of allegiance.
I knelt out of extreme sorrow for our country, because earlier that day, the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, sat down with a murderous dictator, Vladimir Putin, our enemy and someone who is working hard to undermine the most patriotic of our rights, the right to our democracy.
I knelt out of extreme sorrow for our country, that the leader of our great nation, rejected the advice and findings of all American intelligence agencies and would rather support the lies of a murderous dictator.
I knelt out of extreme sorrow that immigrant children are being kept in cages, separated from their families for so long they don’t even recognize their parents when and if reunited.
I knelt out of extreme sorrow for the bullying, lies, and attack on human rights that comes from the leader of our great nation every single day.
I knelt because there are people who are cold, sick, and hungry in this country, while the present administration says humans are not worthy of things like universal health care and must chose every day between the medication needed to stay alive and paying their electric or grocery bill.
I knelt out of extreme sorrow that women’s rights are being stripped from us by the leader of our nation who thinks it is okay to grab women by the genitals.
I could go on.
I have reached a point in my life where I feel I need to send the message by kneeling, that none of this is okay and all of this is as unpatriotic as it can get and the antithesis of what America stands for.
Therefore, as long as Donald J. Trump is the president of the United States, I will kneel. I will kneel for all the people, regardless of party affiliation, and continue to fight for their rights. This is not the America I grew up in, or the country we should be, but I will work every day to get us back to that place.
If you wish to lecture about being unpatriotic, that is your right, but your attention should start with your president.
If people are not offended and worried by what the president of the United States did this week (multiple times), we have no hope. America should be alarmed by these disgusting displays of not only unpatriotic acts, but also treason. He continuously breaks all the rules and his actions have opened the door for us all to exercise our first amendment rights in protest.
My question to all those who take offense to my choice to kneel, who are you to decide what I should or should not do, and under what authority do you decided what is sacred and what is not?
Finally, if you are unfamiliar with the history of the pledge of allegiance and where it came from, I urge you to read about it.
It’s quite fascinating actually. In a nutshell, it wasn’t even written by a patriot, it was written by a socialist minister in 1892 in a marketing campaign to make money by selling flags to schools for a Catholic boys magazine. He and his business partner used the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in 1492 as their hook. Kind of symbolic and ironic that people stand to recite a sentence written entirely for capitalistic reasons to celebrate the 400th anniversary of a rapist and genocidal murderer who didn’t even set foot on American soil.
The original words of the pledge of allegiance:
I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
See that word “liberty”? That’s a powerful word. I urge anyone to show me where in the United States Constitution it says we are obligated to stand for a “pledge.” In fact, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled, “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”
For America, I kneel.
Very truly yours,
Melissa Schlag
Haddam, Connecticut United States of America ”

Nationwide and Worldwide Reactions

People from throughout Connecticut, the country, and the world have reacted in a variety of ways to this controversy. You will see a spectrum of those who don’t seem to understand or fully embrace our freedoms, to those who vehemently defend our freedoms—both home and abroad. There’s been a lot of heated discussion on our Facebook page, some educated, some uninformed and crass. We ask that people try to discuss opinions respectfully and resort from name calling, insults and threats.

Our goal is to promote open and informed (Haddam) government. We will keep adding to this website as things unfold.

Letters

From Kate Hamilton Moser, USAF Veteran July 2018 to Melissa Schlag:

“I separated from the Air Force in 1998. Very rarely did anyone thank me for my service or offer to buy me a drink. Most of the time people reacted with suspicion and incredulity when they learned that I was a veteran. There were a fair amount of people that questioned if I was in the “real” Air Force or assumed that I was a secretary for an important man.

When I was on active duty it was strongly recommended that I not wear my uniform in public as it tended to upset the local population and could bring verbal or physical harm to my person. Shady and unethical business surrounded every military base I visited with predators ready to pounce on poor, uneducated young service members with more than $20 in their pockets for the first time in their lives. Laws and policies existed solely to harm active duty military members in nearly all financial aspects of our lives. Auto insurance rates, predatory lending rates, rental rates and laws all designed to penalize us for being active duty military members.

Thousands of people flocked to join the armed forces after 9/11 and most were trained and deployed to a country on the other side of the world to fight a never-ending battle against a nebulous, yet undefined enemy of American values. The T word. Terrorism.

But terrorism didn’t start on 9/11. Khobar Towers. USS Cole. The first World Trade Center bombings. Those terrorist attacks occured long before 9/11 but there was little to no interest from anyone stateside. Can anyone in this room explain Khobar Towers and how many died that day?

What about the Murrah Building? Who orchestrated and executed that act of terrorism? The mass murders at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville? Benjamin Colton Barnes? Ivan Lopez? Wade Michael Page? Are you familiar with the significant numbers of women and children that are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and murder in the areas surrounding Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Fort Carson, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Camp LeJeune?

Is there a national dialogue and concern for the now grown children and families of Vietnam Era veterans? Why did it take my father in law over 20 years for the VA to take his claims seriously and award him a disability rating? During that time he experienced homelessness, alcoholism, divorce, family estrangement, multiple job losses, poverty, drug abuse, diabetes, and then death. All of this stemmed from his time as a very young man in Vietnam after being sprayed with Agent Orange and left under-equipped, under-trained, and unsupported after the Marines no longer had any use for him. Just one more poor kid that they could use, abuse, and discard when his usefulness ended.

Agent Orange. We’ve all seen the photos of the children and grandchildren of Agent Orange victims still living in Vietnam. But what about the children and grandchildren of American Vietnam vets? Is there any support or concern for them? Does anyone care that my spouse and I were both raised in homes with troubled and unstable veterans? Does anyone care that my young child lost both of his grandfathers in their 50’s due to the long term impacts of the Vietnam War? Who is going to be his grandpa now?

Perhaps that’s all part of the larger plan. The children of veterans that never receive the medical and emotional support they need create troubled and unstable homes for their children. More meat for Uncle Sam’s grinder. Is it any surprise that 2 of 3 of the children in my spouses family joined the military and 3 of the 5 children in my family joined the military? Recruiting offices aren’t located in wealthy neighborhoods. It’s the poor kids that have to put their lives on the line for job skills training or an education to become an X-ray technician or communications operator.

What does this have to do with Melissa Schlag and kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance? Nothing and everything. Nothing if countless people didn’t attempt to frame the kneeling discussion around support for veterans for their own political gain. Everything if people want to wrap themselves in the flag and then preach from on high about “VETERANS!” when they see someone kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance.

But what are these politicians doing for veterans? Are they concerned with military pay and benefits? 1 in 4 students enrolled at a DOD school qualify for free meals. In 2016, $67,000,000 of SNAP benefits were spent at military commissaries. Food pantries and charities are ubiquitous around military bases.

We all know about PTSD, but what about Military Sexual Trauma (MST)? Are the politicians so concerned about the flag and “VETERANS!” working to raise awareness around MST and to adequately fund and support the VA to treat and assist victims of MST and their families? Are they passing legislation to prevent the assaults while on active duty and hold perpetrators responsible? Or are they doing everything they can to privatize the VA to award lucrative contracts to political cronies and future employers while ignoring a significant problem that is growing every year?

Most importantly, are the people screaming about “VETERANS!” every time they see someone kneel during the Pledge of Allegiance doing all they can to end armed conflict and promote peace? Because the most important work we can do for veterans and our families is to end armed conflict. We need to do all we can to not create another generation of Americans that suffer from PTSD, MST, emotional trauma, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide rates that are more than double the rest of the population. Double. For every single person that commits suicide in the US, two active duty members or veterans also commit suicide.

Until all of those issues are adequately addressed, researched, funded, and resolved, anyone using “VETERANS!” as a political tool or wedge to influence or throw stones at a political opponent is just as guilty terrorism as Timothy McVeigh, Osama Bin Laden, and the countless other people that have used and abused veterans for their own political and financial gain.

So kneel. Kneel today, tomorrow, and next week. Kneeling in protest during the Pledge of Allegiance brings awareness to a significant number of issues facing many Americans. Scream about “VETERANS!” as well. But only after you have done the long, hard work of supporting active duty military and veterans with policy, legislation, and funding to positively impact their lives and to prevent another generation of service members from suffering like I do, like my family did, and countless other families across the country.

Statement by Christine Palm concerning Art Linares’ attack on the First Amendment. July 27, 2018

“We in the Constitution State need to defend the Constitution. This bedrock of our democracy is broad, deep and elegant as written; no one should pick and choose which of the 27 ratified amendments to support and which to deem insignificant. Patriotic people across this nation see the first 10 amendments, which constitute the Bill of Rights, as most directly governing our lives.

While I understand being upset by any action that disrespects the flag, “taking a knee” is not such an action. Rather, it is an act of supplication — an earnest and humble request. Those who kneel in non-violent protest do so out of love for our country because they are moved by a fervent desire to see the rights of all people respected and restored.

Therefore, despite the anti-democratic narrative and political opportunism of Senator Art Linares and others, at the center of the controversy in Haddam is the First Amendment itself.
.
This Amendment specifically protects five freedoms, three of which Selectwoman Schlag has invoked: the freedom of speech, the freedom to peaceably assemble, and the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Put simply, these three freedoms mean that if you disagree with your government, you have a right to express your opinion, as long as it doesn’t create a riot or harm others.

The GOP outcry is nothing more than political posturing. Linares chose to attack a Democrat but has been completely silent for more than a year regarding a Republican who has also shown her independence by taking a knee at Haddam town meetings to protest the injustices of the current administration.

Linares would better spend his time addressing what is critical to our district – enhancing economic security for working families, creating jobs that pay a living wage, and protecting the elderly, the environment, veterans, teachers’ pensions and women’s rights.

People of all political persuasions and parties — including the GOP – should stand up for our Constitution in all its glory. It’s time to honor all the U.S. soldiers who have died defending what our flag stands for, those who currently serve our country to defend our Constitutional rights, and all who invoke the First Amendment as they challenge our nation to become “a more perfect union.”

ATTEND THIS UPCOMING EVENT

(Before the 7/30/18 Board of Selectmen Meeting!)

Please join us in solidarity in a PEACEFUL, NON-VIOLENT, SILENT VIGIL supporting the values of the United States Constitution. We oppose Senator Art Linares’ attack on the First Amendment rights afforded to us under the United States Constitution. We do not condone bullying or intimidation. Our Mission is NOT to incite, but to bear witness in silence. We are NOT protesting our Country, we are Defending the Right to Free Speech! Flags welcome and encouraged!
Thank you for your support.

Watch These Short Videos to Refresh Yourself about Our Constitution and First Amendment Rights

Blue Wave Festival Celebrates the Rising Tide of Democracy on Sunday,

June 24, 2018 in Chester, CT

Chester, CT – June 1, 2018 – The Chester Democratic Town Committee (DTC) in cooperation with 14 Connecticut River Valley and Shoreline DTCs announced today they will host a Blue Wave Festival on Sunday, June 24, 2018, from 3pm – 6pm at the Chester Fairgrounds, Rt 154 and Kirtland Terrace, in Chester, CT. The family-friendly Blue Wave Fest will feature local musicians, 20+ guest speakers, legislators, office-seekers and 35+ information tables offering valuable insight into how citizens, communities and organizations are taking action to face the most pressing challenges affecting our democracy today. This one-of-a-kind event will also celebrate the power of the individual vote. The Blue Wave Fest coalition of DTCs in the lower Connecticut River Valley includes Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Killingworth, Haddam, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook. There is no admission fee. For the very latest updates to the event program, regularly visit the Blue Wave Fest website at www.BlueWaveFest.com, Facebook: Blue Wave Fest, and Twitter:@BlueWaveFest or Instagram.

“We are very, very excited about our democracy festival,” states Marta Daniels, Blue Wave Fest Chair. “This is a wonderful platform where citizens can come together for a constructive political dialogue across various views, ages, and gender. The Blue Wave Fest is a big tent event for exploring the issues impacting our democracy, and emphasizing the necessity of voting for every single Connecticut citizen. Our diverse festival program includes political, musical, creative, and social voices and champions from every walk of life and age. Our aim is to engage the vibrant citizenry in the Lower Connecticut River Valley with compelling conversations about democracy, equality, tolerance, and bettering our communities for everyone along the economic ladder.”

For more information about the Blue Wave Fest, please call 860-343-3191 or visit the website at www.BlueWaveFest.com.

Vote on the Town Budget, Wed., May 30, 2018, 7 p.m. at the Haddam Fire Station #1,439 Saybrook Road, Higganum. Full details here._________________________________________________________________________________________Endorsing Candidates,Conventions, May HDTC MeetingFrom Chair Melissa Schlag:As predicted, the crowded field for Governor is starting to thin at an accelerated pace. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and former State Senator and Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection Jonathan Harris have both withdrawn their candidacies for the Democratic nomination. Harris has joined outgoing Attorney General George Jepsen in formally endorsing the Gubernatorial candidacy of Ned Lamont. On the Republican side of the race, Toni Boucher announced that she was ending her campaign for Governor to focus on reelection to her State Senate seat, while New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart announced Greenwich Mayor Peter Tesei as her running mate as she continues to seek the Republican nomination.The race for attorney General has also narrowed somewhat, as Democratic Representative Michael D’Agostino has ended his campaign and endorsed his fellow House member William Tong for the position.Meanwhile, the future composition of the General Assembly has seen additional changes for the class of 2018 as Representatives Kevin Skulczyck (R – Griswold, Lisbon, Plainfield, Sterling, Voluntown) and Lonnie Reed (D – Branford) announced their retirement, and liberal political activist Kennard Ray announced his candidacy for the vacant House seat left by the resignation of Hartford Democratic Representative Angel Arce.The updated list of legislators who have decided to retire from the General Assembly include:

Rep. Jeff Berger (D)

Rep. Linda Gentile (D)

Rep. Lonnie Reed (D)

Rep. Danny Rovero (D)

Rep. Kevin Skulczyck (R)

Rep. Diana Urban (D)

Sen. Tony Guglielmo (R)

Sen. Ed Gomes (D)

Sen. Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D)

Sen. Gayle Slossberg (D)

The following Representatives have declared their intention to seek a State Senate Seat:

Tony Guerrera (D) – replacing Paul Doyle (D) in the 9th District

Rob Sampson (R) – replacing Joseph Markley (R) in the 16th District

Pam Staneski (R) – replacing Gayle Slossberg (D) in the 14th District

Mark Tweedie (R) – challenging Steve Cassano (D) in the 4th District

Melissa Ziobron (R) – replacing Art Linares (R) in the 33rd District

The following legislators are running for statewide office:

Rep. Prasad Srinivasan (R) (Governor)

Sen. Joseph Markley (R) (Lieutenant Governor)

Rep. William Tong (D) (Attorney General)

Rep. Michael D’Agostino (D) (Attorney General) -ended campaign

Sen. Toni Boucher (R) – ended campaign

Sen. Paul Doyle (D) (Attorney General)

Sen. Art Linares (R) (State Treasurer)

Our next Haddam Democratic Town Committee meeting is Thursday, May 10, at the Community Center, 7 Candlewood Hill Road, so we can endorse candidates for the various offices in advance of the conventions.

Don’t forget to go to the Town Budget Meeting where we’ll vote on the upcoming Town Budget, Wednesday, May 30 at Firehouse 1 at 7 p.m.

Joint DTC was April 30 @ 7 p.m in Chester

The next Joint DTC meeting of area Democratic Town Committees is Monday, April 30th at the Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St., Chester at 7 p.m. We will hear from more candidates planning to run for various offices on the State and regional level this fall.

Update on the meeting below: The first proposal to rescind the ordinance waiving solar fees was carried by a hand-vote of 31 for to 22 opposed.The Sidewalk Ordinance proposal was denied by unanimous vote because it needed work on the verbiage to clarify the meaning of “maintenance”. A homeowner whose property abuts the sidewalk would NOT be responsible for the “maintenance” of the sidewalk. The revised ordinance with this clarification will be presented soon.From Selectman Melissa Schlag,Important request: Please come out to the town meeting and VOTE this TONIGHT: April 11 at 6:00 p.m. Firehouse, 439 Saybrook Rd Higganum

Two proposals

1. Solar Fees
Selectmen Milardo and Maggi want to undo an ordinance we passed four years ago that waives solar building fees. As our federal government (thanks to polluting Pruitt) rolls back environmental protections every day in this country, we should be making it easier and cheaper for people to install solar panels not more difficult and more expensive.
Haddam was on the cutting edge of solar installations in Connecticut during the Solarize CT campaign and should be proud of our accomplishments.

The permit fees are astronomical in relation to the type of inspection solar panels need–the inspection is very quick compared to other building projects worth $25-30K and does not justify the fees charged. Furthermore, it’s the principle that Haddam stands for clean air and a clean environment. Haddam won awards, grants, and free solar panels for a town building because of our efforts. These efforts should not be undone.

2. Sidewalks
Selectmen Milardo and Maggi also want to institute an ordinance that the folks along any sidewalk or path on a street/highway/etc have to remove snow AND maintain the sidewalk, as well as hold all the legal responsibility if someone falls etc.

There are lots of older folks along the sidewalks in Haddam center and they won’t be able to shovel snow off the sidewalks, nonetheless repair them. And along the main highway, the state trucks throw snow and ice onto the sidewalk that would sometimes be impossible to remove.

So please come out to the town meeting and VOTE this TONIGHT: April 11 at 6:00 p.m.
Firehouse, 439 Saybrook Rd Higganum
Selectman Melissa Schlag

Submitted by Sean Moriarty:

There will be a public hearing at the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company Community Hall on Wednesday, April 11, at 6:00 pm followed by a Town Meeting at the same location to discuss and vote on two important topics. There is a proposal to repeal the Town Ordinance that waives the building permit fees for the installation of renewable energy sources on our properties. The waiver of the fees is an incentive for people to try to install renewable energy generators such as solar to help them reduce their personal energy costs and help reduce the environmental impact of non- renewable energy producing plants that we rely on.
The repeal is a short-sighted money grab by the first selectman. The town has not suffered in the four years since the ordinance has been enacted and in fact has become a better place to live as people are trying to make a difference in how we treat our environment.

If the ordinance is repealed your taxes will not go down in any measurable manner but it may very well deter some people from trying to install a renewable energy generation source on their property.

I am asking you to join me at the hearing and meeting on Wednesday, April 11 to stop this repeal from going through.

There is a second item on the agendas that deals with sidewalk maintenance after a winter weather event. The Town is going to require residents who have property the abuts a town owned sidewalk remove snow and ice from the sidewalk within 12 hours of the end of the weather event. While this is not a new idea in municipalities, I feel the twelve hours is not enough time, especially if those property owners have a lot of clearing to do other than the sidewalks. Many municipalities give property owners 24 hours to clear the sidewalks. This time frame is more than reasonable.

Joint Dem Town Committees Meeting Updates:

We had great Turn Out at the Joint DTC meeting we hosted on March 28th at Fire House 1. The hall was filled and we heard from candidates Eva Bermudez Zimmerman for Secretary. Guy Smith, Mark Stewart Greenstein, and Joe Ganim for governor. The next joint meeting is Monday, April 30th at the Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St., Chester at 7 p.m.

Double the Turn-Out at 2nd Joint Meeting with Area Towns! Haddam hosts next one Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Haddam Fire House 1.

Over 130 Democrats from area town committees met on Wed., Feb. 28 in Essex to hear from 12 candidates for governor, treasurer, attorney general at Essex’s town office building. This number from Haddam, Chester, Deep River and Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme and Portland is double the amount that met last month in Deep River to share ideas and collaborate on how to restore sanity and good sense in our local, state, and national government. The four chairs of the local committees, Lori Ann Clymas, (Chester), Lisa Bibbiani (Deep River), Brian Cournoyer (Essex), and Melissa Schlag (Haddam) began this collaboration in the new year. The purpose of these gatherings is to stand strong together to take back our towns, state, and nation by campaigning together, instead of as individual town committees. Right now we are receiving reports from local political dignitaries and pitches from future candidates.

Each Democratic Town Committee plans to host a joint meeting in the coming months. The next one is Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Haddam Fire House 1. State-wide Candidate Presentations will be from:

Eva Bermudez Zimmerman (Sec)

Guy Smith (Gov)

Clare Kindall (AG)

Mark Stewart Greenstein (Gov

Joe Ganim (Gov)

Please take the time now to click and like the Chester, Deep River, and Essex Democratic Town Committees on line or visit their websites so you can stay informed at this crucial time!

Highlights from the First Joint Meeting

Over 65 Democrats from Haddam, Chester, Deep River and Essex (with a few from Portland and Middletown) assembled at the Deep River Town Hall on January 24th to share ideas and collaborate on how to restore sanity and good sense in our local, state and national government. The four chairs of the local committees Lori Ann Clymas, (Chester), Lisa Bibbiani (Deep River), Brian Cournoyer (Essex) and Melissa Schlag (Haddam) lead the organizational meeting and encouraged reports from local political dignitaries and future candidates. Each Democratic Town Committee plans to host a joint meeting in the coming months. The next one is Wednesday, February 28 at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall. Please take the time now to click and like the Chester, Deep River and Essex Democratic Town Committees on line or visit their websites so you can stay informed at this crucial time!

Democratic Town Committees from Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam are joining forces this new year with a series of Joint Democratic Town Committee meetings. The first takes place at the Deep River Town Hall on Wednesday, January 24 at 7 p.m. Come experience the strength in numbers as we share ideas and hear from:

Gubernatorial candidate Joe Ganim (Bridgeport Mayor)

AG Candidate Mike D’Agostino (State Rep. Hamden)

First Selectman Norm Needleman

Judge of Probate-elect Jeannine Lewis

The next joint meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 28 at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall . We’ll host one in March, date to be announced.

Let us know if you can make it, if you need directions, or are interested in carpooling.

Nine New Members Added at Caucus

Congratulations to nine new and returning members!
We had a great caucus and now have 39 members on our committee. What a dynamic group! We will see third Wednesday of each month. After our February 7 meeting which will be at the Town Hall, we will be meeting at the Community Center, 7 Candlewood Hill Road, Higganum. Since we can get cell service at the community center, we will be able to offer live Facebook or Skype meetings for folks who are not able to make it.

Who We Are and Why You Should Join Haddam Democrats

We are a hybrid of Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck neighbors who embrace progressive values such as: